The Bulwark

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com In a special live edition of Bulwark Takes, Katie Couric joins JVL and Tim Miller to take on some of the biggest and most interesting stories of the week including the breaking news today out of Michigan where a suspect is dead after ramming a vehicle into Temple Israel synagogue, the latest on the Iran war including the first comments from the country's new supreme leader, what Kash Patel is up to at the FBI and more. Katie also digs in with the Bulwark crew on her latest TV obsession.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com We’re raining hellfire down on Iran and American soldiers have died, but that doesn’t stop Trump from hitting the links, doing a little dancing, or holding a revenge rally. His main preoccupation is his daily PR battle over the war—which currently involves arguing that higher gas prices are a good thing. And his ever dutiful backup chorus in Congress is happy to explain how “freedom isn’t free.” Meanwhile, the immigration system has been so undone that we now have a shortage of seasonal workers. Plus, the absurd shoe-related loyalty test at the White House, a major Trump donor is trying to buy a Senate seat in Oklahoma, at least one white Afrikaner refugee has seen enough and wants to go home, Sam and Tim have new Cabinet member rankings, and some justice for JVL and Bill after Wednesday's pod. Sam Stein joins Tim Miller. show notes * JVL’s “Triad” on Iran from Wednesday and Thursday * Bill on the "epic failure" of the Iran war in "Morning Shots" * Adrian and Jared on Markwayne Mullin * Sam's and Catherine's 'Bulwark Take' on higher gas prices * Tim's and Sam's year-end ranking of Cabinet members * "Odd Lots" podcast * Tickets for our LIVE show in Austin on March 19: TheBulwark.com/Events. As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Catherine Rampell give their takes on the sudden shift in Republican messaging on gas prices after the war with Iran disrupted global oil markets. For years, Republicans blamed Joe Biden for high prices at the pump. Now, with prices rising again under Donald Trump, some GOP lawmakers are telling Americans they need to “make sacrifices” or even suggesting struggling families just need better financial literacy. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim joined Katy Tur to talk about the backlash from the “podcast right” over a potential Iran conflict. If those newer, anti-war voters peel away—or simply stay home—it could reshape the politics around Trump’s base. They also discussed immigration, where Republicans are starting to get nervous about the real-world impact of mass deportation policies. Watch Katy Tur Reports on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/katy-tur-reports As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah was out last week, and felt she had to bring you some timely focus group reactions to the War in Iran. We also check in on their feelings about the Trump administration (especially their handling of the Epstein Files), and talk about a growing strain of conspiracy theorizing tied to Israel (Jeffrey Epstein and Charlie Kirk are BOTH involved!) Finally, we’ve recently seen members of the Bulwark community pop up in the wild in our focus groups. Hear what drew THEM to The Bulwark. Sarah and Bill Kristol sift through it all. Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September! Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Hit that like 🤍 button and share this episode with a friend. Ad-free editions are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Upgrade now to listen without ads and to join the community in the comments. The Focus Group with Sarah Longwell is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Click to find the show or add this podcast to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller is going live, just because he feels like hanging out. Not everything needs a special occasion.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein, Will Sommer, and Andrew Egger give their takes on the new right-wing conspiracy that claims John Thune is secretly controlled by Punchbowl News and that’s why he won’t eliminate the filibuster to pass the SAVE Act. The theory comes from a software engineer known online as “Data Republican,” who gained prominence during the DOGE era by posting false claims about uncover government waste. Her latest claim hinges on a series of confusing flowcharts that immediately collapses under even minimal scrutiny, but it’s still gaining traction in conservative circles, including Sen. Mike Lee. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com One of the biggest America First fans tells Tim that he thought Trump 2.0 would be different because like-minded, high-level personnel—including the vice president and top DOD staff—were supposed to stop Trump from doing stupid wars like the strategic catastrophe unfolding in and around Iran. And Trump’s mass deportation was supposed to crack down on the labor practices of big business and Big Ag, but POTUS instead is sticking with the Chamber of Commerce status quo. Saagar now regrets his vote for Trump. Plus, the difference between MAGA and America First, a different take on Epstein, Venezuela red-pilled Trump, and the U.S. may be facing a major shortage of munitions because of the latest shock and awe campaign. Saagar Enjeti joins Tim Miller. show notes * Tim's livestream Wednesday at 8:30pm ET on YouTube or Substack * Saagar's show, "Breaking Points" * Carville's 2009 book, "40 More Years: How the Democrats Will Rule The Next Generation" * Tickets for our LIVE show in Austin on March 19: TheBulwark.com/Events. As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Tim Miller give their takes on Joe Rogan’s surprisingly blunt reaction to Donald Trump’s war with Iran. Rogan says many supporters feel “betrayed” after Trump campaigned on ending “stupid wars,” only to launch major strikes that have now killed U.S. troops and raised fears of wider conflict. Sam and Tim dig into Rogan’s political evolution and why this moment is so uncomfortable for the MAGA-friendly podcast world. After years of embracing Trump as the anti-war outsider, figures in the “podcast bro” ecosystem are now confronting the possibility that they misjudged him. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah Longwell talks with former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann about his new book: Liar’s KingdomThey discuss how Donald Trump exposed weaknesses in American institutions, why misinformation has become so central to modern politics, and what that means for the future of democracy.Weissmann explains why simply winning elections won’t fix the problem, explores how other democracies handle threats to the rule of law, and lays out reforms that could strengthen guardrails without rewriting the Constitution. * Pre-order Andrew’s book, Liar’s Kingdom * Pre-order Sarah’s book, How to Eat an Elephant, coming in September! * ON SALE NOW: Bulwark Live in Texas at TheBulwark.com/Events Watch, listen and leave a comment. Access to this show’s community comments and ad-free editions are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Bulwark+ members can listen ad-free on your podcast player of choice—click SET UP here. The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Leave us a review and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ so more people can find this important show from The Bulwark.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah, Tim and JVL go LIVE to talk about the escalating air war with Iran and the chaos and dishonesty of Trump’s shifting explanations for it. Watch, listen, and leave a comment. This ad-free video version of The Next Level is exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Click the learn about setting up this show, ad-free, on your podcast player of choice. You can find The Next Level wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Add The Next Level to your podcast player of choice, here. And help more people find this show by leaving us a review and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen.

Before the bombs and the missiles started falling on Iran, Trump sent Jared and Witkoff to try to cut a deal with Tehran. But his two favorite emissaries with no expertise in world affairs fundamentally misunderstood the Iranian mindset, and Trump grew impatient. Now, while Israel is likely trying to create a failed state in Iran, the U.S. seems to be looking for the quickest exit. Plus, the dystopia of “Robocop,” "Brazil," and "Infinite Jest"may have arrived in real life, the Iran War’s potential impact on the Paramount-Warner Bros deal, predictions for Sunday's Oscars ceremony, and Timothée Chalamet can do no wrong. Sonny Bunch and Laura Rozen joins Tim Miller. show notes * Laura’s Substack * Sonny on our dystopian parody * Tickets for our LIVE show in Austin on March 19: TheBulwark.com/Events. As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebulwark.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Bill Kristol and Andrew Egger are going live to discuss whether Trump is already close to ending his Iran war, under pressure from both markets and bad polls.Read the latest Morning Shots newsletter.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Tim Miller joined Nicolle Wallace to discuss Donald Trump’s latest comments on the Iran war and the chaos surrounding his administration’s messaging. Plus: Lindsey Graham’s reported efforts to push Trump toward escalation and Tucker Carlson’s claim that Trump is being fed fake polling about the war’s popularity.Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sarah Longwell and Sam Stein give their takes on Donald Trump’s latest press conference on the war in Iran, where Trump seemed to declare victory while also suggesting the conflict is just beginning. Trump claimed the war was essentially “over” after the first two days, even as his own defense secretary says the mission is only getting started. They also break down a tense exchange with a reporter who challenged Trump on his claim that Iran bombed its own elementary school, prompting the president to suddenly say he “doesn’t know enough about it.”Pre-order Sarah's book, "How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time": https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/how-to-eat-an-elephant-9781250464170/ As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam Stein and Will Saletan give their takes on why Lindsey Graham is suddenly everywhere celebrating the escalation against Iran and why even some Republicans are alarmed by his rhetoric. As Graham cheers the bombing campaign and openly talks about taking on other regimes around the world, critics including Meghan McCain warn that his messaging is scaring voters and pushing the U.S. toward endless wars. Sam and Will trace Graham’s long obsession with regime change, how he’s learned to appeal to Donald Trump, and why this moment may represent the culmination of a decades-long foreign policy vision.Listen to Will's 2023 series on Lindsey Graham here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJNKzTkCZE9sb384PfewA7Gur01abBrcS As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members. Add Bulwark+ Takes feed to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Unless the administration is keeping some closely-guarded secret about why America went to war against Iran, the only thing officialdom is saying out loud is that Netanyahu wanted us to. And now Trump says he's waiting on Netanyahu to end it. But support for the state of Israel cannot make up for the fact that both the president and the prime minister are not to be trusted. Both Trump and Netanyahu are corrupt men who used their power to avoid being held accountable for their corruption. To be skeptical about the aims of the military operation is not antisemitic, but the fact that it is happening at all may contribute to the rising incidence of antisemitism. Plus, JD is in a tight spot, the administration keeps lying about our killing of Iranian schoolchildren, and Sarah's new book advises Democrats on how to win the comms war against Republicans. Sarah Longwell joins Tim Miller. show notes * Pre-order Sarah's book, "How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time" * Stream "Memphis Belle," the film Sarah recommended * Tickets for our LIVE show in Austin on March 19: TheBulwark.com/Events. As always: Watch, listen, hit the like button or leave a comment. We want to hear from you. Ad-free editions of The Bulwark Podcast are available exclusively for Bulwark+ members. The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller is available wherever you get podcasts and on YouTube. New shows drop each weekday afternoon. If you like the show, leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐ wherever you listen. Add The Bulwark Podcast to your player of choice, here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Mona Charen talks with Unite America’s Nick Troiano about the structural problem driving America’s political polarization: the primary system.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Sam and Will talk Iran war, Tucker Carlson and the MAGA fallout. As always: Watch, listen, and leave a comment. Bulwark+ Takes is home to short videos, livestreams, and event archives exclusively for Bulwark+ members.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thebulwark.com Eric and Eliot welcome Norman Roule, a non-resident senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a thirty-four-year career veteran of the U.S. intelligence community, where he served in the Directorate of Operations as a division chief and chief of station, and for nearly a decade as the national intelligence manager for Iran in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). They discuss Trump’s effort to replicate his Venezuela playbook and the search for an Iranian Delcy Rodríguez, the intricacies of the Iranian succession, and the potential for the regular army (ARTESH) to step in and seize leadership of the country. The conversation also covers the IRGC’s hold on the system in Iran, the sources of Iran’s misreading of the regional situation and of Donald Trump, the failure of Iran’s alliances to come to the rescue, and the nature of Iran as an intelligence target. Eliot’s Latest in The Atlantic (Gift Link)Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. Shield of the Republic is a Bulwark podcast co-sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.